


What Unites Us

by dciphoenix



Category: Biohazard | Resident Evil (Gameverse)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Post-Resident Evil 5, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Resident Evil 5 Game, Romance, Stockholm Syndrome, Valenfield - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-11
Updated: 2015-02-11
Packaged: 2018-03-11 21:09:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 9,803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3332972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dciphoenix/pseuds/dciphoenix
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After all she's been through, Jill isn't the only one plagued by what has happened in the past. Like before, the one thing that separates them eventually reunites then and brings them closer.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Jill Valentine dragged her luggage over the wooden flooring of the ship, the wheels on the suitcase imitated a train track as she pulled both her belongings and herself into the bowels of the ship. It stood tall and wide, a vast white beacon absolutely worthy of the name. The bright yet low sun bounced off the shiny white exterior, the windows filtering some of the light, but most of it was returned to the sky and her new passengers for the duration of their holidays. It's what she needed after all the hell she had been through. But it might not be as much fun alone.

Oddly enough, it wasn't one of the things that the medical professionals had suggested to Jill after her ordeal. Take these pills, see this doctor once a week, these tests will be done soon as possible... But no rest for her. The only rest had come in the form of the rehab centre where she had spent the rest of March in the care of doctors and nurses and one so sacred visit from Chris. They had checked her blood and near enough told her everything she already knew. Wesker had already told her all about what was inside her by experimenting on her for as long as he did. Laying in the same room for hours on end with more wires within her than what she started out with at the beginning of the year. Even though he's a terrorist, was I in better care with him? The thought, at some point, had crossed her mind.

Jill reached the door to her single room, leaving the salty, seagull filled air behind her. Spending a holiday alone is better than not having one at all, but nevertheless, she had booked a room with a double bed. You never know what could happen at the all hour bar. Though something inside her just knew she wasn't that person. She was never that person.

After emptying her luggage into the wardrobe and small chest of drawers beside the bed, Jill reached over and switched on the lamp. Not that the late afternoon required more lighting, but it would be good to know what her room looked like at night. It was a thankful change from the white, clean and empty medical rooms and offices with only an in-house psychiatrist and herself, telling her the horror story of the past four years. Trying to leave out as little as possible, but equally not wanting to spend a second thinking about what had happened.

The room was illuminated by the small lamp as it cast a dark orange glow which gradually met with the daylight from out of the porthole. Slipping off her shoes, Jill patted across the soft, cinnamon coloured carpet which was another once granted, now loved necessity. Wrinkling her nose, Jill locked the door as more passengers filtered through the ship's many on top the fluffy white duvet, Jill pulled the bunched sleeves of her thin, beige top over the creases on her elbows. It wasn't her usual casual attire. But then again what does one wear after being a guinea pig, puppet and killer all against her will? The top hid the healing web of scars the device had given her on her chest and the pinpricks all over her arms from the countless injections over the many weeks of many, many tests.

Jill had used almost all her money from working at the BSAA to cover the trip. Buying everything she will need, clothes, suitcases and even the holiday itself. Surprised her bank account was still open after being declared dead for so long – after giving her statement, among other things to the man in charge back in England, the BSAA had her death certificate reprieved. It was close to the time Chris got his medal for his work and saving her in Kijuju. She had turned heads that day for sure, most of them looking as if they had seen a ghost. Soon after that when she had put the word in for the said holiday. It was met with little question from Chris who told the big cheese of the department himself that it would be good nature if she was to go away, after all the tests, appointments and pills of course, before rejoining the team. Quicker than what she had anticipated, they had agreed. Although it had taken a few more weeks before she could actually leave the medical facility. The people in lab coats had to have one last say in the matter though.

Turning off the lamp, she faced the pothole window after rolling onto her side, the clouds obscured the once blinding sun. Jill reached into her handbag, pulling out a small bottle of water and a tub half full of sleeping pills. In case of any nightmares, unwanted memories or anything that might creep into her consciousness and hurt her there. Swallowing one and a half of the bottle of water, Jill looked back out the window and saw the sun setting and being lowered into the open maw of the sea. The waves, a red oil on water beauty as the pinks and reds stretched out upwards also, and all around the darkening sky.

They would be setting off soon. Then the screaming children and families will file out of the main deck and into the depths of the large ship, leaving the couples and straggling sightseers on top as the first meal would be served some time after they set off.

The ship had everything her passengers needed to have an enjoyable holiday. But it didn't have the thing she most desired. Chris had wished her a safe journey, hugged her and jokingly told her to send him a postcard from every stop she makes and that if she forgets one place, he'll have her riding desk back home after her holiday. He had bid her farewell with an 'I'll see you later, partner' before she exited the BSAA Headquarters.

"Chris..." Jill muttered as the medication began to work its magic. She felt the pull of the first night of sleep deep in her mind. Far from the needles and tests as the sun set below the waterline and the ship began to set sail.


	2. Chapter 2

Jill cracked one eye open while shifting in the cocoon of covers she had wriggled herself into as she slept. Finding she had curled one side of the bedding over herself in her drug controlled slumber. The pothole was now covered in a fine mist, either from the crashing waves the boat drove on through, or the less enjoyable sight of a sudden onslaught of rain.

She moved into the middle of the ship, seeking out food after waking up in the eerie night glow from the moon. It had indeed rained. The glossy wood floor of the ship was now a shallow moat to the core of the ship. Jill sat at the table closest to the door, leading out of the large dining hall. The people that would have been served the first dealing of food were now nowhere to be seen. Relaxed and watching the rain-speckled windows, Jill toyed with her food. Half a plate full of cheese sandwiches had been her choosing, though she accidentally picked up a few of the bree and cucumber sandwiches and didn't feel up to going and getting ones with a slightly less sickly inside. Taking just one bite from the corner, she had decided not to carry on eating. The rest of her plate was full with an aesthetically pleasing salad which she decided to play with and half eat, too.

Tucking a strand of her brunette hair, shaped into a jaw length bob with a fringe, Jill pulled out a small map of the entire ship and ran her finger over where she had come from and where she could explore after hours, without everyone running around. There was a Casino, cinema and bar on the same floor as her, a short distance from the dining area, too. Though there was nothing about them that interested her. Her plain, cut nails stopped in an area of the ship that could give her the help she needed. The spa was in the complete opposite direction of the ship from where she was now, but perhaps she'll pay a visit to that in the near future.

She put the map back in her bag, glancing at it. An advertisement for the other cruises by the company covered the back of it. Pushing the plate away, not trying to eat anymore, Jill checked her phone for any calls or texts she might have missed during sleeping. Stifling a fit of laughter that crept its way to her lips, Jill reread a text Chris had sent her that morning – you better send me a nice 'wish you were here' postcard. Or else. – the text ended with a winking smiley face which she could imagine was his expression when writing the text.

Exhaling softly, Jill took in her new surroundings for the next five weeks. The roundtables, running down the entire left-hand side were off-white, the right side of the room was one big serving hatch, which broke up the walls. That was painted a soft bronze, that matched the gold, entwined lighting on the ceiling and all over the walls where a upturned light could be squeezed between the windows. Long, cream curtains hung, tied back around the big windows allowing the passengers to see the open sea and the moon, hanging in the sky. It wasn't a bad view. Even for her, who wasn't the type to be awed by a view of a never-ending blue ocean.

Jill eyed the couples and what could be siblings sat around the other tables. The couple, across from her, had no food in front of them, only a quantity of coffee cups. No surprises as to what they would be getting up to tonight... The dark haired man at the table linked his hands with the woman next to him, her tumbling chocolate curls hid her face. But the large rock on her finger told her all that she needed. Ugh. If she stayed watching them any longer, she'd puke. Oh, god. Jill swallowed hard, clenching her jaw and gritting her teeth.

She felt like she was really going to throw up. Feeling sick to her stomach, her head spun and throbbed while her legs grew numb and turned to jelly underneath her.

Jill stumbled away from the uninterested couples and through the double doors leading back to the room. What the hell? Was it that crap she had tried eating? Slamming her hand on the wall beside her, Jill fought the urge to either collapse or vomit. One out of the above was more than likely.

"Excuse me, miss?" An unfamiliar voice broke her out of the battle with her stomach. Perhaps it was too early after her ordeal for fussy food? Or it could be something else entirely. Jill looked up, expecting to find an annoyed passenger who she had stopped from getting back to their compartment. Instead, she removed her hand from the wall and found an older man with greying hair and a pair of glasses perched on his nose, looking just as old as him. But what took her attention was his green uniform and the contents of the room behind the door that he was standing against, peering out at her.

Medic. Thank god. Jill grimaced slightly and gripped her stomach to emphasise the fact she wasn't feeling all that hot. "Hi, yeah. I'm not feeling too good."

The medic opened the door and allowed her to sit on the medical bed as he checked her over. After telling him all her symptoms and what she had eaten, he pulled open a drawer to take a small box of what appeared to be medication. Oh, joy! More to take. The medic told her she had seasickness, much to her disagreement. Jill put her other hand to her head and pushed her fingertips into her hairline. Hopefully, the rest of the trip won't be like this.

"My first case of the trip." The man in green mused to himself. "Just take two of these whenever you're feeling like you are now." The medic handed her the box of pills and she opened her mouth to reply, but he had turned back to lock the draw of meds.

"Um, I'm on pretty strong meds already. For sleeping." Jill read the side of the box, hoping to find something that will tell her whether they're safe or not.

"They are alright, kid, just don't intake any alcohol. Bet you were worried you'll miss the best your holiday huh?" He chuckled from over his shoulder as he filled out a form on a clipboard and scratched behind his ear.

He handed the form on the clipboard for her to sign as she answered him. "Not no more, I'm not." Jill smiled at the guy and then at the cup of water she hadn't realised was next to her. She popped two pills and drank the entire cup. Guess going to the bar was a big fat no, now then. But she still wanted to go explore and see what the ship had to offer. She might actually find something that she could enjoy.


	3. Chapter 3

Jill lay, tucked up in bed with her hands flat on her stomach. The whole night had been a seek and destroy exercise with her stomach. Luckily enough, any feelings of seasickness were gone by one o'clock. But by then, she was simply too exhausted to sleep. The niggling thought in the back of her head didn't stop whispering to her the whole night that if she slept – she would only wake up, probably on her front, making her feel all the worse. That and the thought of visiting a living, breathing and passionate country the next day never stopped running rampant in her mind. A country, free of anything caused by viruses and all other joyful things that Umbrella spawned into the world. Which were now being rid from the face of it one day at a time.

Chris. He would be out there, right now, doing what he does best. Although he'd be doing it all without her. And not to mention without the woe of imagining she was dead every other second he had free to think about the past. At least that part was better for him.

It was all of the above which made her think perhaps deciding on a cruise wasn't such a good idea. Getting out and finding somewhere that she could breathe without being pricked like a pin cushion was a must. Though choosing which destination was hard, in the end and in the short amount of time she had to decide, Jill had found the cruise holiday advertised in the travel agency near the BSAA HQ and booked in right there and then. Not knowing where the ship would be stopping at, only asking what the weather will be like wherever she was going to. She'd bought all the clothes especially for the trip, packed and was at the pickup point the next day. Barely managing to ring in and tell everybody where she was going. Everything had been going so well, so the negative thoughts sent her on more than a downer.

France. Now that was something of a surprise.

Jill stood outside of the ship, taking in the salty air that she could have taken lungfuls of the day before. She'd changed her clothes after getting up at six hundred hours. Still unable to sleep. Abandoning the tight white top and white cheesecloth trousers for a more darker set of attire.

Feeling the cool air drift through her hair and over her face, Jill Valentine zipped up her dark brown jacket. She blended with the shadow of the large ship looming over her more than easily. Jill moved against the railing that ran alongside a slope to the entrance and exit of the ship and away from the shore.

After walking past building after building, subconsciously making a note of what direction she took, Jill rounded on a French baker yelling his workmate who was taking a coffee break. How stereotypical. Through the ally at the back of the baker, Jill eyed a small wall around a fountain in the shape of a fish with the water spraying from its mouth.

Stepping into a beige brick courtyard with the circular fountain in the middle, which her fellow passengers were all milling around, Jill narrowed her eyes at the individual across from her. He was shouldering a backpack and fussing with something in his wallet. She pulled her lower lip into her mouth, contemplating whether it was who she thought it was and if she should to go over to him. Slipping her camera out of her bag, she took a sneaky picture of him, pretending to be looking through previously taken photos or taking a picture of the fountain its self. He was none the wiser.

No, no way! It couldn't be. Jill raised an eyebrow at the now zoomed in the photo on the screen. He was miles away, right? She eyed the photo of the brown-haired, bulky man. Chris?! He got up to move away from the fountain just as she lowered the camera from her face. "Chris?" Her voice wavered at the prospect of him, here and actually sharing this holiday with someone after all. And who could be better than him?

Jill widened her eyes when she saw his own, as he raised himself up off the lip of the fountain. He cracked a smile, one that almost made her cry with familiarity. "Hey, there, partner. You didn't really think I'd let you go on a vacation alone did ya?"

"Uh..." Was all she answered with after blinking.

Chris slung his bag back on the floor and motioned her to come over. It took her not even a second to respond, reaching her arms around the bulk of him and immediately being reminded of his rescue in Kijuju, Africa. When he had finally managed to rip the mind control device from her chest, saving her from Wesker's chemical pull he had then pulled her into his arms.

There was no words to describe the look on her face when she realised it was him. She was literally speechless and it took all of his inner strength not to scoop her up against her will. She felt just as lean and lithe as she did all those many months ago, he'd try to get some meat on her bones in the next few days, just to ease his mind that she was fully better.

After an age of being in his arms, Jill pulled away. "What... what are you doing here?" She frowned. "You missed the ship leaving."

"Still got my ticket." He replied, still wearing his grin. "I'll just say we were in a rush and I forgot to give it in. Was hoping they'd do something for heroes like ourselves." Chris ended with a shrug.

She opened her mouth to speak.

"Now, don't you worry yourself." Chris cupped her cheek with his hand, but in a nanosecond, he pulled it away.

Jill, still opened mouthed, now lost for what to say. Again. Shook her head, ridding herself of all the worry inside. Taking his offered hand, she pulled him in the direction she wanted to go. "I won't. Honest." She smiled. "C'mon. I want to go sightseeing."


	4. Chapter 4

After exploring all the back streets of France, Jill had found a little café. The blackboard sign outside had swayed her decisions as the menu was in both French and English meaning she wouldn't have to translate every little word. Although she knew a few words in French, she'd rather spend her holiday doing fun things like she was now. Ordering hot chocolates, Jill added a croissant and a pain au chocolate with hers; deciding to take one with her back to the ship in case she got the clawing feel of hunger and didn't want to risk the ship's food again.

Chris had paid for their drinks as Jill reserved a seat for them between the counter and the entrance which overlooked the small courtyard through the sheet glass windows. The dark, wood panelled walls almost made it feel cold and gloomy but nestled in the far corner of the café, Jill could see most of the interior décor. Full of deep reds that coloured the tablecloths and blinds. The gold framed black and white photos of the shop easily gave the impression that the shop had been open for many years. Jill sighed at the fact that this small shop had been thriving all the while they were fighting for their lives all them years ago.

Chris threw a couple of packets of sugar on the tray and made it over to his partner as he watched Jill watch the rest of the ship's passengers taking photos by the fountain with different cameras. He smirked at the youngsters fooling around in the water as their parents went over a map. "Hot chocolate for the lady. With not one, but two snacks for her bottomless stomach." Chris served her the drink and loved the smile he received.

"Thank you waiter, but don't go expecting a tip." Jill raised an eyebrow as Chris passed over the food. The croissant was on a plate with some strawberry jam and butter in metal containers next to a knife. Though, Jill picked up the sweet treat and tore one of the ends off before hungrily munching on it. Before she ended up polishing off the whole treat, she offered some to Chris – who declined her offer – she then smothered it in the butter and jam.

"You should save yourself for dinner, ya know." Chris smirked, feeling like he was with Claire, his younger sister. She always insisted on eating something before dinner. But he also smirked to himself at seeing Jill in an ordinary situation with no zombies, no viruses and bioterrorism.

"Ugh, no. I'll pass. If it's anything like what I had last night, I'm not going to have anymore. Thank you very much." Jill wrapped up the other snack and put her in her bag before looking up at Chris. She saw him blowing the froth on the cup of hot chocolate in his hands.

"What happened last night?" He frowned.

Jill shook her head, stupidity rising it's ugly head in her mind as she remembered all the details. "Long story short, I've come to realise I have seasickness."

The frown on Chris's mouth didn't move as she spoke but only grew further on his face as he furrowed his brow in confusion. "But 2005, the mission on the ship? You were alright there. Weren't ya?"

"Yeah. Perhaps it's something that he did to me. Another one of the side effects?" She matched his frown for once of her own and sipped her chocolate.

"Possibly..." Chris trailed off. He didn't need to ask who 'he' was. They both knew all to well the one man behind Uroboros and who had used his partner as a guinea pig for years. "How are you holding up, Jillybean?" He asked out of the blue.

Jill merely blinked and opened her mouth. Though she replied with a shrug. "As good as anyone can really be after going through what we have done."

"You would've thought we'd be used to it now, huh?" Chris reached across and took Jill's hand that was on her lap. He gave it a squeeze before kissing her gently on the mouth. There were no fireworks. Nor bright dancing colours of any kind. Not like what he once used to read in his mother's romance novels. He was once intrigued as to why she liked them so much, he had flicked through one, not impressed or as interested as what his mother had been. But she had still kept a tight hold on them.

He had no idea what had persuaded him to do that. It just felt so right. Throwing caution to the wind, he pecked her on the mouth as he caged her small hand in his. It was apt as he had held her when he had saved her. Running up to her side and pulling her limp form into his arms. He protected her with himself.

That was another memory that would never leave him.

Chris pulled away when he felt her tense. "Jillybean, I'm sorry." He looked down at their hands joined. How could I be so stupid? She's just come out of the hospital and you make a move on her?! Chris sighed and looked away, nervous of her answer.

"Um, it's just... after everything that has happened," Jill broke their hand contact and reached for her drink. She took another sip of her drink, one that didn't burn her insides. This time she noticed there was the right balance of milk and the taste of real chocolate in her mouth as she swallowed. "I'm not sure what to make of everything just yet." She frowned but licked her lips.

Chris nodded. The wonderful feeling of seeing her running up to him, the sensation of her small arms doing their best to get around him was still fresh in his mind. He could even still smell her flowery perfume, feel her breath on his neck as she had clung to him. But the wonder was now gone. Replaced by shame and more so – guilt.

"It didn't mean I didn't like it." She muttered, shyly. The corner of her mouth pulled into a half smile.

Chris brushed a hair from her face and felt just how hot her cheeks were. "I'm sorry babe if you feel uncomfortable, I'll stop."

"It's okay." She pressed her lips together before continuing. "I'd like to go back to the ship after our drinks if that's okay."

"That's alright with me, for any particular reason?"

"I just don't want the ship leaving without me with us two sat there like lemons." Jill smiled, taking a few gulps of the chocolate.


	5. Chapter 5

It's the feel of his breath on her bare flesh.

It's almost unbearable.

But she just lies there and prays for death.

Her clothing, discarded after being pulled away, exposing her entity.

She can't even scream.

Not even to her deity.

Like a twisted childhood fairy tale, though with more terror and strife.

Because he even owns her voice.

As he is anything but innocent, all he's done is bring the tale to life.

It sickens her, right down to the bone.

While she's powerless to stop it.

The trembling flooding her form doesn't stop him from continuing on.

Jill pulled herself up from the couch, her breath came in ragged breaths as she caught sight of Chris lounging in the other comfy chair across from her. He's watching the TV though, not interested enough in the programme that he misses her waking up and stretching her legs. There's a tingling in her legs which she guessed was from slumbering on the couch all scrunched up for too long.

Her breathing slowly returned to normal as the feel of Wesker's presence around her ebbed away into nearly nothing within her psyche. The nightmare still haunted her thoughts, though. But she started to think about other things, the dark dream fades. As all others did in the past.

"You alright, babe?" Chris' voice floated over to her sleepy mind.

She replied with a nod to her fellow BSAA agent. Jill started stretching her limbs as she looked around the games room of the ship. The large room was intended for parents to park their children as their other half went for a much-needed drink or something similar. The walls were painted a fun red with posters of various iconic landmarks all over them, the floor was covered with forest green tiles. It looked like Christmas.

There was a big pool table behind the couch, with various other games like pinball and table football surrounding the edges of the room. Jill made her way back to Chris after a wander between each game. She looked up and noted the channel he was watching. Sports.

"Anything good on?" She asked him.

Chris beamed at her and moved over to take her under his wing. "Not really. Think I saw a romantic comedy on when I was flicking through channels earlier." Chris handed her the remote.

Jill grinned and cuddled herself into him. "In that case, I want an action flick. Something we'd both like." She exhaled deeply. "I want you to be happy."

Chris moved through the channels until he saw something that had a guy being killed on in the first five minutes. They settled into one another as the games room continued to be empty and the film started to play. "I am happy." He replied to her after the movie started.

She left it at that.

The movie that Chris was watching gave her chance to mull over the last few segments of the dream still roaming within her mind. Wesker. That evil bastard was touching her in ways she'd only want A another to touch her in. He had undressed her, unbuckled the battle suit at the back and gently pulled it from her body. Slowly so that his fingers could trail around her toned muscles, outline her jutting out bones and make goose pimples appear on her skin. What he did next was the one thing she didn't want to think about. Oddly enough it was the one thing she hadn't forgotten yet.

Chris felt a shiver run through her body as he tightened his hold on his partner. "You okay?"

"I'm fine. Stop asking." She snapped. Pitifully succumbing to using one or two-word answers.

Chris grew concerned. "Hey." He turned so he was facing Jill and looked her over with his sceptical gaze. "I'm only asking because I care." He brushed the outgrown fringe from her eyes.

"I know." She reluctantly said. "It's just that I had a nightmare. About him." Jill shuddered, the action not escaping Chris' watchful eye.

"Are they the same as last time?" He urged her on further.

Jill narrowed her eyes and then closed them, her brain ached with her probing it so much. "How do you even-" she faltered.

"The doctors and nurses told me about them. You had to be put on sleeping pills because of them, right?"

"Yeah. But I didn't know you knew." Jill leaned her head on his shoulder, her eyes still closed.

He ran a hand through her hair. "Was he hurting you again? Or touching you this time?" Chris grimaced soon as he had stopped talking, wishing he didn't have to ask her.

"Uh." Jill winced and cuddled into her Chris. She began breathing heavily again as snippets of the dream returned from the depths.

That was all he needed to hear.

The only thing he was glad of was that Wesker was already dead because if he wasn't... he would have to damn well track the sick and twisted, sadist pig of a murder down and make him pay for the torture he had put himself and poor Jill through. Even after being killed by Chris' very hands – Albert Wesker was still harming those close to him.

"What happened in the dream?" Chris prolonged her suffering. But it needed to be done. Dreams were capable of forming patterns, unlocking answers and more. More often than none they were the worst fears and things of hatred the individual had. Though, usually, they were horrible memories, too. And Jill needed them dealt with.

"He was touching me all over and I was completely naked while he was doing it. The next thing I knew, I was underneath him and..." Jill swallowed, hard. "I could see he wanted me. I could see it in his eyes as they burned red like when he's mad. He pinned me down. I was powerless. All I could feel was him. I couldn't see the room I was in either, all I could see was him as he-" She was cut off as felt as if she was gonna hurl again. "-had me." Jill Valentine finished.


	6. Chapter 6

The room span, the walls ebbed away from view and choose to appear hazy and distant. Though, not only for Jill as her hands dug into those of the fellow BSAA operative next to her, who had only sworn under his breath and mixed disgust and hatred in a facial expression after her revelation. Her tears obscured the room around her and the television that had long ago stopped playing the film they had once been interested in. The last thing she saw before she closed her eyes to sob into her best friend was the swirling white clouds outside.

"If it makes any difference... I don't think I've gotten over Kijuju. I don't think I ever will. But what helps is knowing people like you, people like Claire and around me. Not only can I talk to 'em about what's happening, but they've experienced it themselves. The physical scars will heal and I know the mental ones take a lot freakin' longer. But it eases the pain." The marksman at her right

Chris Redfield was only solely interested in the sobbing brunette clutching at his hands that had found their way to her face, covered in salt skin. Thumbs wiped away tears that hung underneath her chin before moving the strands of hair caught in the trails from her eyes. Once beautiful and bright blue, now clouded and red. "C'mon, c'mon, I've got ya." Coaxing her to relinquish her grip was so much easier in his mind's eye. "Jill, it was only a dream, right, babe?"

"Yeah, yeah." Jill nodded and removed her chin from his hands. She looked away from him, feeling ashamed that her tears and fallen down her cheeks as she wiped them from her face – making her look as broken as what she felt inside.

Chris made to push the strands of hair behind her ears, but Jill grabbed his wrist and shook her head while her eyes still glistened with unshed tears when she looked him straight in the eye. "No, not the hair." She faked a smile. "I've only just got it to sit right after that bastard..." Jill bit her lip as wave after wave of memories, dreams and nightmares flooded her mind.

"Okay. It's okay, I won't touch it." He smiled back slightly before rubbing the back of his neck with the hand that was outstretched. "It looks nice by the way. Uh, you look nice all over." Chris mumbled.

She truly did. Even if the dark oak brown long bob made her look slightly anaemic in the face and in need of a jump in a sunbed for about an hour to sort out her skin colour and make them the pink and peachy plains he and grown to get used to in seeing for many years. But at least her skin was no longer grey and dry, the dark bags around her eyes were gone and so was the constant pain he had read about in the medical reports on her heath. Having visited her hospital multiple times in need of info on her health. Once, arriving with a bunch of lilies. Her favourites. He had managed to take a look at the clipboard at the bottom of her bed, apparently, the P-30 suppressed her free will but at a cost; her body was in constant agony and if the even thought about defying he who had administered the device to her crossed her thoughts. She would hurt inside and out.

"Thank you." She'd be a fool to not smile from his embarrassment from revealing a little something from his heart. Jill took his hand, feeling it slightly damp from her tears.

"Well hey, look what's finally come to greet me." Chris marvelled to himself or at the brunette to his left. Jill followed his eye out of a large porthole, which she noticed even had its own set of curtains. She smirked as the bright sun came into view on the other side of the window. It made her squint as it warmed her. Though it wasn't doing as good of a job of trying to warm her soul than what Chris had managed to do.

"Hey, I've got an idea." He threw a grin, completely mischievous in its entirety which made her not even see or register him pulling her onto her toes as she giggled and stifled any louder laughter.

"Chris, what the-" She copied his grin, though rolled her eyes as his overexcited expression.

Chris beaned at her. "You've got your swimsuit on under that haven't you?" He asked, quizzically.

"Um, yeah. Sure, why?" Her brows knotted.

Chris replied by a tug of her hand in the direction of the ship. Not so long ago - well maybe a few too many years more then what she'd care to admit – she nearly died in a ship, drowned, infected, killed. Whatever was the worst that could happen in a controlled environment full of mutated zombies; it had happened to Jill Valentine back in 2005. A giant of a ship; basically a confined area away from land with no hope of leaving them or being rescued by another. She was only thankful she could reinstate her confidence in cruise liners.

She quickly changed to a jogging pace as Chris seemed overly eager to get a deck chair by the pool. Though she must admit, after doing everything in preparation for the trip as well as spending a wallet bursting amount of money on the damn thing – she'd hate to have come this far and not see the sun. It would be unfortunate not only for her but Chris, too as well as all the other passengers she was sure to bump into on occasions, befriend and get to know as temporary neighbours.

Chris dragged her past a sign that indicated the next floor and door up would be the one leading to the top of the ship. She tensed her thighs and calves so she would be rooted to the spot, next to the sign warning passengers that there is a flight of stairs coming up. Jill smiled at his concerned expression as he tried to tug her in the direction of the airlock door. "I've just got to get changed. I'll be back in a sec." Her smile grew into a grin as he let her hand go, though only after grumbling.

"You could've gotten undressed up there." He threw a lusty grin which made Jill, in turn, flip the bird and go in search of her room or the ladies' rooms without even looking back over her shoulder. Whatever came first, she couldn't care less. Chris was once again a permanent fixture in her life once again.


	7. Chapter 7

"Oh, god. This is more like it." Jill hummed as she reclined the pillowed deckchair. She sighed after she had adjusted it and took a sip of her non-alcoholic cocktail, carelessly watching the ice melt and move around in the glass as the carbonated bubbles rose to the surface in the cylindrical glass and sparkled in her face. Chris, having a pint of bitter was trying to keep it in the shade as he watched Jill happily relax in the noonday sun. She stretched and looked over at him shuffling his towel so it cocooned the beer inside and away from the hot sunshine. "Chris... I think I'm melting, but I'm too comfy and I don't wanna move." Jill yawned, her head lolled back on the plump cushion which was far more comfortable than laying on one of the ridgy chairs around the tables at the far end of the pool.

"Don't melt. I don't fancy scooping you up and taking you back inside." He replied over his shoulder.

She pouted and put her drink next to his. Beads of sweat trickled down her forehead, down her nose and rested above her lip. Jill wiped the sticky heat off herself and wiggled her toes as she felt the rays penetrating her feet. "You want to go for a swim?" She asked before rolling over to her front and burying her face in the cushion.

"Could do. I'm roasting out here." Chris ran a hand through his hair and made the greasy strands stand on end before wiping his hand on the other towel around his neck. "Only as long as you're wanting to go for a swim too." He watched a droplet of sweat run down the plains of muscle on her back, made all the wetter as she had recently smothered her pale skin with sun cream. Which he helped out in applying, much to his amusement. The sinewy muscles glistened in the heat and it took all of his willpower not to run his hands down her back. Starting at the nape of her hair and stopping at her coccyx. He would tug the flimsy straps of material that held the lilac bikini together before massaging her entire body as she lay and worshipped the bright orange ball in the sky. He would turn her over and kiss down her chest, over her breasts and lower. Her beautiful eyes would be closed to him and her breath would come in shallow gasps as he worked her over. And she would enjoy it. God, after everything, they'd both enjoy it.

Her eyes fluttered over to him as she caught sight of him breathing rather deeply. "Chris, you alright?"

"Fine, I'm fine. I just want you-" Chris trailed off as he caught sight of the shade of ocean in her eyes as he followed the curve of her body back up to her shoulders. "You deserve some time off after everything you've been through. After everything we've both been through."

"And we have the time and money to do something about it." She smiled at him. Not so long ago they were saving each others' skins. Now they were merely enjoying being able to gaze upon one another's.

"That we have." He gestured to the pool in the middle of the deck that took up most of the room on the bow side surface of the ship. Sandy coloured beech wood covered it as far as the eye could see, well until the floor met with the white stairs on either side of the bow of the ship where the overly window panelled food court was inside that overlooked the entirety of the sea and the ship itself.

"Nope." She smiled and fingered, straightened the fringe of her hair and squirmed in the sunlight. "Way too comfy."

Sliding the surface items on her bed into her arms, Jill Valentine moved into the bathroom, tucked in the corner of her room on the ship, and takes a small tub of moisturiser and applying it all over herself – one of the few luxuries she missed. Now, one of the few she always allowed herself these days. It wasn't just her mind that had taken a battering after the countless battles. More so the ones she had no control over. No opinion.

Jill drops the hands as well as the item in her right and strains her ears, thinking she could hear Chris at the door.

"Jill? You in there?" He practically yelled and was only thankful it wasn't night as he would have awoken not just the whole cabin, but just about the whole ship.

"Yep, just give me a minute. Anyway, I sent you a text!" Shaking her hair out of a fluffy white towel, Jill steps back into the bathroom after peering out the door. Previously laying out some loose fitting black lounge pants and a blue t-shirt on the radiator, Jill throws the towel on the radiator, dropping the one around her chest and waist and pulls on her clothes before hearing a bang and a following less loud thud. What was that? Do Cruise ships have maids?

Pulling her long, blonde hair into a ponytail then a bun, Jill walks into the room again and can't help but let her mouth hang agape.

"So you did." He replies from checking his phone.

Chris finally figured out how to pick locks, huh?

"Chris." She blatantly whispers.

"Jill." He looks her over from head to toe and back again, a less exciting replay of the morning's events. "What's with the hair?"

"I..." Jill trails off, shame consuming her.


	8. Chapter 8

"How did you get in?" Swallowing her emotions, she carefully reached out to him, though not answering his question right away.

"The old gum wrapped around the strip on the key card trick. You taught me that one." Chris answers her, not breaking eye contact. "Remember?"

She exhales softly. "Right." Jill smiled through gritted teeth. "I suppose I have no point in saying the brunette me you've been talking to is a fake? I wish I could tell you I was doing it for my own gain, but once people started seeing me like my old self again, I actually started feeling that way."

"Jill-"

He started.

"No, Chris, hear me out, please." She shook her head, grimacing. "The doctors...they didn't help fix me on the inside, all they did was prolong my torture. They said it wouldn't help, hiding away from what he did to me. But it did. It made me feel free, if for only a little while." She clamped her jaw together, the pearls inside suffering from the strength, fighting the tears. "I never wanted this to happen." Jill managed, moving to the edge of the bed, legs giving way to the pressure. "I didn't want you to find out." Jill bends forwards, hiding her face from him, sniffling softly as she stretches out her uncovered arms behind her. Palms pushed into the soft fabric as far as they could go. Fingers splayed, trying, reaching, grabbing onto anything solid.

"I'm sorry." The bed dipped beside her. Chris wiped any tears that escaped with both hands as he held her face.

"It's okay, had to happen sooner or later, right?"

"No, it didn't. You were happy and it was all my fault."

"Chris." Her small four fingers were wrapped around one of his hands.

"Hell, you've always been beautiful to me. I couldn't care less what colour your hair or skin is, and cliché me, but I care about what's on the inside." He then pulled at the band that bound her hair with a single finger until it hung loosely in her face and eyes before he swept it away. "And I know it's all good."

A flutter of a feeling shades her features. "Will you stay?"

Her breath comes in shallow pants, running her fingertips, nails, palm over the chest of the body beneath her.

Changing, taking in a sharp breath, her eyes shoot open she feels him stir and move an arm around her.

Darkness envelopes them both, touching hot skin which nothing else touches, other than the stillness.

Yet, dark clouds from within her mind.

Disregarding them, she tries to settle down for the night again.

How could anything feel so good to be so bad?

But as ever the dark is too much.

Moving her head to reveal her face to her partner for the night, she reaches out a hand to touch his face.

Though her wrist is caged, her action is ceased.

"Chris?" Her voice is close to a whisper.

"Dear heart." Greets her ears. Definitely not Chris.

Waking with bile rising in her throat, burning her insides and stomach, Jill leapt from the bed and quickly beelined for the small restroom. Throwing the door open, her body crumpled to the floor as she emptied her stomach contents into the toilet. Weak from the action, weak from sleep and just about everything that the devil made her do. She panted while her arms shook under the motion until the chain reaction was stopped and nothing else was able to come up.

"Jill?" Concern laces his voice. Chris to the rescue. As always.

"Guess who forgot to take her meds?" Jill laughs, weakly. "I'm fine, I'm fine, really." She continued as she took deep breaths, sat screwed up on the bathroom floor. "God, I feel like crap."

He switches on the light. "You don't look so good either."

"Thanks!" Only she knew the reason for the sudden rush of sickness. She shuts her eyes and falls back against the tiled wall, sarcasm dripped from her voice. The room is too bright, too close...

"What meds did you forget to take?"

"Both." She replied, after hearing shuffling feet.

Chris disappears from her side and comes back not even five minutes later and hands her both types of medication with a bottle of water from her bag. She tells him her thanks and takes one of each. He helps her to her feet, ignoring or disregarding her plea to stand by herself.

She only sighs and lets him.

Soon after, they're both back in the bed she had previously laid in alone. Head on the pillow, though propped up by Chris as her forehead rests on his shoulder with both of his arms wrapped loosely around her waist, she was for once at peace with herself. He hadn't even hesitated, just laid her down before himself then switching the lights off and covering them both up. So natural. So comfortable.

Sleep pulls at her mind after not all that long. It splices through her thoughts and fears. The lingering fragments of the dream thankfully pushed away and silenced, given the abandonment she was simply too frail at this moment to accomplish herself.

He watched her sleep. The gentle breeze over his face and neck alongside the steady heaving of her chest was a subtle indicator she was fast asleep once again. He only hoped she stayed that way this time.

Regardless, it was also a reminder she was alive. She was alive, in his arms and sleeping. Not quite her ripe old self yet, but it will take time and it will take the both of them to mend her fully.


	9. Chapter 9

Jill had a vague picture in his mind of the light greys and blues that filled the room all them hours ago.

Chris opened his eyes and realised Jill hadn't moved the whole night. He had planned on staying awake as long as his body would let him and until he couldn't stay awake any longer and he was no longer anxious Jill would wake up again. She mumbled as he moved to make them both comfortable but had ended up in waking her up. Uttering a quiet 'good morning, beautiful' he had been blessed with a gentle smile and an offer of him to get her some breakfast. He had sneaked her breakfast in bed while she got ready. They had both spent the whole morning going over the map of the ship, which was at around nine o'clock when he had made it back to her room. Their room.

"Chris?" Her voice whispered and took her attention back from that morning. Jill moved her hand to where he was laying the night before. She didn't find his body but she did come across a messy note.

Jill Valentine looked up as the door opened and he stepped through it with a small tool belt in one hand.

"After all that crap, it all turns out to be a guy with a blown fuse." Chris Redfield huffed out a breath out of chapped lips, turning to his female companion as she ran a hand through long blonde hair. Jill propped herself up on her bed, her light blue eyes followed his own gaze to their hands. His fingers brushed lightly against hers.

"No more interruptions." Jill smiled and crawled towards him. Kneeling on the bed, a soft gasp escaped her full lips as he grabbed her around the waist, pulling her body onto his lap and kept her there by the sheer mass of his forearms.

"I sincerely hope so." A wicked grin took its place on his face, the type she just had to fight to not return, the type she saw and silently prayed to see again at the Mansion. Something, not so long ago she would have sold her soul to see one more time. But she he didn't sell her soul to the devil.

She didn't dance with him.

She fought alongside him against her will...

Jill must have redressed at some point during his search as to what had occurred and doused the whole ship in darkness. He was so close to sealing their relationship and taking her into his arms after telling her just how he really felt. It wasn't like their evening had suffered. Jill had taken his lighter and lit, it seemed, each emergency lighting candle she could get her hands on. Their bases and wicks twice the size of an average, generic candle. Several of them were cast around the bed, highlighting her pale skin and equally pale hair. His one hope was that she had come to realise he loved her regardless of how she looked. That and the hope there wouldn't be any more damn interruptions.

The pads of her fingers ran over the small cloud of a beard covering his chin and around his mouth before moving them upwards and tracing the line between his lips. "I'm not made of glass..." Jill relaxed in his arms, entirely secure. Only to raise herself up and slowly wrap her arms around his neck and press her lips to his. Squeezing her eyes tightly shut moments after. Savouring the moment, savouring him. Her nimble fingers released the tension in his shirt and began to run down his front, tracing the muscles underneath. How desperately did she want to touch them without any barriers.

Tasting of salt and spirits – three guesses as to what he had been helping himself to in the mini-bar. Chris more than easily had become her addiction. The one drug she just couldn't say no to. If only he could have been her medication back on the UK.

"Surely," he began, his hands travelling over the silky material of the dressing gown over her half-naked body. "I know that more than anyone." He found himself undoing the large ribbon that closed her body within whilst Jill nibbled her way along his bottom lip, apparently delighted in what she felt as she sighed into his mouth. Pulling back the lip she took a fascination in, Jill inhaled sharply before latching her mouth more securely onto his.

"Mmph, Jill..." Chris mumbled, but it fell on deaf ears. He pulled away from her, just as she started sucking on his tongue. Glad he had stopped her when he did, otherwise he wouldn't have been as driven to if she had continued. "Gotta breath, babe." Chris half chuckled at her lazy gaze and tousled hair.

She exhaled slowly, lips soaked, now just as chapped as his. Her nose had been full of him, each breath was full of his scent. Powerful and dark. The polar opposite of her. But such a perfect match.

Pieced together by a common enemy, yet they grew closer than what he could have ever wanted or anticipated.

She only hoped he was burning with anger as he burnt, down, buried in the depths of hell at seeing something he thought as expendable flourish so brightly.

Jill nuzzled her forehead against Chris'. Her eyes fluttered closed as the rush ended, but was merely put on a hiatus, she was sure. She kissed his cheek, getting another blast of the scent that could only be him. Jill pressed her cheek against his own, wanting everything and impossibly more. "Don't keep me waiting anymore, hero." She says, her breath blowing over his skin similarly dominating as her hands and prickling his skin when Chris pulled down the now, open gown that very nearly revealed what he had set his sights on soon as he walked in the door. He felt the course yet soft material of her underwear, Chris mapped out his way from the top of her spine to the bottom, catching his fingers in the band of her lace panties.

"Don't plan on it, partner." He pulled his hands away from her body, brushing her own away. Chris pressed his thumb to her lips, his fingers itching to explore all of her.


	10. Epilogue

Thankful of being shown the path out of the hell. The proverbial light at the end of the tunnel wasn't just dark. It was gone, none existent. It was only when Chris revealed her blindness to the escape. He had to leave her to save her. Giving her back her life and her breath to do what she does best - to come full circle and save him in return to bring about the end of a common foe.

With a rocket launcher to the face. God bless the BSAA and all the other acronyms and all the other usual suspects in the alphabet soup with their surplus of big bad, nasty weapons.

Christopher stumbled into the room uttering his distaste as to what torn him from their first date. Or something along those lines. Jill quickly hushes his angry words the only way she knows how and brings him to the bed. "I'm not made of glass." She smiles and sees him shake his head just a fraction.

"I know that more than anyone." She hears him say. Followed by the sweet nothings that should have been said long ago in a shared apartment back in Raccoon City. Before the violence, hate and stuff of nightmares which the handful of people had escaped long, long ago. Most of them doing something with the permanent memories. Inevitably turning it into their day-to-day lives or jobs or reason for finally coming to a life of a vigilante. Their life had turned into a zombies, champagne, and strawberry scented filled one. Hopefully, that can turn into a daily occurrence too? Claire had done so though could the older Redfield follow? Pent-up, lifelong frustrations had let them to this. Chris leaves a trail of kisses over her collarbone, feeling her pull him against him and wrestle with her clothing. Pushing off the peach, silk dressing gown and leaving herself bare to him.


End file.
